About

Hi, I’m Justyna.

I’ve been involved in the bike industry as an advocate and retailer since 1993, when together with my husband I opened Chicago’s first (now closed) transportation oriented bicycle store. We currently operate Cosmic Bikes, which we opened in May of 2016. Through my work in in those two shops, I have personally put literally thousands of people on bikes.

In one form or another, the Chicago Bike Blog has been the online journal for my bicycle store since 2007.

A new addition to the blog in its current incarnation is The Microescape.

The Microescape, and the Live Large Pack Small philosophy it embodies, was initially inspired by the amazing portability of the Brompton folding bicycle, and its ability to transform from a relatively small piece of luggage to fully capable personal conveyance. I began to seek other compact pieces of equipment that can be used in similarly world-expanding ways.

The intention behind The Microescape is to reframe and scale the idea of adventure in order to fit more of it into our regular lives. My goal is to offer simple, practical and repeatable strategies for busy people to retreat into nature, and recapture our leisure, freedom and self-reliance.